Episode 01 - Pillaiththamizh - Frolicking with the Moon.

Frolicking with the Moon

 

We move on to the next phase – Ambuli (அம்புலி) – Beckoning and playing with the moon.

 

 A pleasure that even a baby born in the poorest home, shall not be denied. It is so fascinating for the child – that the friendly, cool, silvery moon, really a treasure of delight for it, is so very accessible to it. When she or he calls, beckoning with those little hands - வா, வா, - come hither, come to me! – the moon obliges. The baby finds it fascinating – also seems to feel in power – that the moon accompanies her/him, wherever she/he goes. But the crunch comes when the moon keeps his distance from the baby. What goes on in that little mind? Who knows?

 

The mother, grandmother, aunt or any elder one who carries the baby to engage in this moon-play, would scale it up with rhymes, songs and play-acting. We found earlier how the four strategies – saama, dhaana, bheda and dhanda – are deployed by the elder in composing this play-acting for the baby.

 

Periyazhwar has Yasodha do the play-acting in this phase, filled with grandeur, riveting pleasure and elevating poesy.

 

We ought to have picked up for discussion only two or three out of these ten verses. When I scrolled through them, I found it impossible to pick and choose from those. It would have been sinful for me to have skipped even one! Such is the compelling poesy and grandeur of these verses. Therefore, we have the whole lot here.

 

தன்முகத்துச் சுட்டி தூங்கத் தூங்கத் தவழ்ந்து போய்ப்

பொன்முகக் கிண்கிணி ஆர்ப்பப் புழுதி அளைகின்றான்

என்மகன் கோவிந்தன் கூத்தினை இள மா மதீ

நின்முகம் கண்ணுள ஆகில் நீ இங்கே நோக்கிப் போ

 

The verse is simple to comprehend, set in amazing rhyme and lilt.

 

Yasodha assails the moon: “Oh! The crescent moon (இள மா மதீ)! If you do have a set of eyes that could see, see this first and go on your course. My son, Govindan, is playing in the front-yard dirt, crawling around with the ‘chutti’ adorning his captivating tresses swaying and jumping about his lovely forehead, with the bells in his waistband and his anklets jingling a metallic concert – see this eye-filling drama that he is enacting – for you!”

 

… This is ‘Saama’ elevating the other to one’s own level and letting him/her feel respected, comfortable.

 

என் சிறுக்குட்டன் எனக்கு ஒர் இன்னமுது எம்பிரான்

தன் சிறுக்கைகளால் காட்டிக் காட்டி அழைக்கின்றான்

அஞ்சன வண்ணனோடு ஆடல் ஆட உறுதியேல்

மஞ்சில் மறையாதே மா மதீ மகிழ்ந்து ஓடி வா                    

 

“Oh! Celebrated Moon! My little one, my sweet nectar, my Lord, little Kannan is beckoning you with his small hands. You would surely have a lot of fun playing with him. Do not hide yourself behind those clouds! Run down to him over here, where boundless joy awaits you.”

 

…This is Dhana – offering a reward, a recompense (அஞ்சன வண்ணனோடு ஆடல் ஆட உறுதியேல்) that should motivate, should ‘saama’ fail.

 

சுற்றும் ஒளிவட்டம் சூழ்ந்து சோதி பரந்து எங்கும்

எத்தனை செய்யிலும் என்மகன் முகம் நேரொவ்வாய்

வித்தகன் வேங்கட வாணன் உன்னை விளிக்கின்ற

கைத்தலம் நோவாமே அம்புலீ கடிது ஓடி வா  

 

“You may drench all this world with your silvery light; you may do celestial tricks like waxing and waning. All of that reckoned, would you measure up anywhere near my little son’s handsome face? The one, the smartest among the smarts, the one astride the Venkatam hills, HE has been beckoning you with his little hands for long.. would you be stupid and callous enough to let those little hands endure pain? Be smart! Come! Come to this Kannan – hastening your best.”

 

 … This is ‘Bhedam’: underscoring the chasm that had developed between the two; and pointing out the improbability of the contest being won by the other (wooed one).

 

சக்கரக் கையன் தடங்கண்ணால் மலர விழித்து

ஒக்கலைமேல் இருந்து உன்னையே சுட்டிக் காட்டும் காண்

தக்கது அறிதியேல் சந்திரா சலம் செய்யாதே

மக்கட் பெறாத மலடன் அல்லையேல் வா கண்டாய்

 

“The Sudarsana-wielding one, with his wondrous eyes wide, astride my hips, keeps pointing to you without relenting. Can’t you take a hint? Oh! Chandra! Do not be stupidly mulish. (Beware! Do not make the fatal mistake of taking him to be just an innocent babe. If you try to be funny with him, his Sudarsana would obliterate you in a trice.) You are not one who is barren (of the wealth of children), are you? – for you to be obdurately uncaring with this child? Come right now.” ஒக்கலை – hip.

 

… This also would fall under ‘Bhedam’.

 

 அழகிய வாயில் அமுத ஊறல் தெளிவுற

மழலை முற்றாத இளஞ்சொல்லால் உன்னைக் கூகின்றான்

குழகன் சிரீதரன் கூவக் கூவ நீ போதியேல்

புழையில ஆகாதே நின்செவி புகர் மா மதீ  

 

 “With nectar-like drool dripping from his lovely red lips, with his lisping unformed words, this little one is calling you. If  he, the One who has Sri Maha Lakshmi astride his chest, keeps calling you with those rapturously captivating babble of his, how could you not be arrested by that invitation? How could you move on? Do not act deaf. Oh! The brilliant, silvery, full moon!

 

Just let those captivating words get into your ears. (You shall not then be able to resist rushing to his side.)”

 

… Also would fall under ‘Bhedam’

 

குழகன் – is a beautiful word. Used for captivating, very young god forms – for Krishna, for Muruga and even for Siva (in Thiruvachaam). It is not just a very young (child) one that is a child, sprightly and captivatingly handsome. It also connotes the attribute of that personality that enmeshes with everyone with consummate ease and pleasure – e.g. in frolicking around with Gopis.

 

 பரவி வானவர் ஏத்த நின்ற பரம னைப்பரஞ் சோதியைக்

குரவை கோத்த குழக னைமணி வண்ண னைக்குடக் கூத்தனை

அரவம் ஏறிஅ லைக டல்அமருந்து யில்கொண்ட அண்ணலை

இரவும் நண்பக லும்வி டாதுஎன்றும் ஏத்து தல்மனம் வைம்மினோ.

 

Thiruvaaimozhi..

 

Back to ‘Ambuli’:

 

 தண்டொடு சக்கரம் சார்ங்கம் ஏந்தும் தடக்கையன்

கண் துயில்கொள்ளக் கருதிக் கொட்டாவி கொள்கின்றான்

உண்ட முலைப்பால் அறா கண்டாய் உறங் காவிடில்

விண்தனில் மன்னிய மா மதீ விரைந்து ஓடி வா

 

“This One, wielding the mace, disc and bow in his capacious hands, is yawning as a prelude to his falling asleep. If he did not go to sleep in time, the breast milk that he had ingested would not assimilate. (Therefore, he needs to go to sleep rightaway). Therefore, do not procrastinate any longer, Oh! The resplendent Moon – filling the skies! Come to him this very moment.” Mentioning three of the five divine weapons would connote all the five – Upa Lakshanam. அறா – digest, assimilate.

 

… Also would qualify as ‘Bhedam’ but ‘Dhandam’ surfaces, with the resources for the punishment being flagged.

 

 பாலகன் என்று பரிபவம் செய்யேல் பண்டு ஓர் நாள்

ஆலின் இலை வளர்ந்த சிறுக்கன் அவன் இவன்

மேல் எழப் பாய்ந்து பிடித்துக்கொள்ளும் வெகுளுமேல்

மாலை மதியாதே மா மதீ மகிழ்ந்து ஓடி வா

 

 “Do not commit the sin of mistaking this one to be an innocent infant. This one is none other than that infant (சிறுக்கன்!!!) who devoured all the worlds and their animate and inanimate beings in order to protect them from being swept away by the great deluge, was afloat on that all-consuming deluge alone, lying on a banyan leaf – sucking his toe! Should you as much as annoy him, he will leap on to the sky and clutch your throat. Do not slip into that fatal transgression of offending this one – Thirumaal. Oh! The glowing silvery full Moon, come! Come fast! Come and share his joy.”

 

.. Here is ‘Dhandam’ in full flow. Beware! This shall be your fate if you continue to evade.

 

சிறியன் என்று என் இளஞ் சிங்கத்தை இகழேல் கண்டாய்

சிறுமையின் வார்த்தையை மாவலியிடைச் சென்று கேள்

சிறுமைப் பிழை கொள்ளில் நீயும் உன் தேவைக்கு உரியை காண்

நிறைமதீ நெடுமால் விரைந்து உன்னைக் கூகின்றான்

 

“Oh! The obdurate (full) Moon! This one, the Tall Thirumaal Himself, calls out to you repeatedly. Do not falter and look down on this young lion of mine! Go and check with Maha Bali what this little one can do! If this little one erupts with anger, you would be gone in a moment. (Do not err thus: Come and respond forthwith to this one’s irresistible invitation.)

 

… Dhandam again.

 

 தாழியில் வெண்ணெய் தடங்கை ஆர விழுங்கிய

பேழை வயிற்று எம்பிரான் கண்டாய் உன்னைக் கூகின்றான்

ஆழிகொண்டு உன்னை எறியும் ஐயுறவு இல்லை காண்

வாழ உறுதியேல் மா மதீ மகிழ்ந்து ஓடி வா

 

 “This little one, his stomach distended with butter he scooped with his hands from all the butter-pots  around and devoured, He is calling you. (If you ignore his calls for even one moment longer,) he could destroy you with his Sudarsanam.  Entertain absolutely no doubt on that happening. If you really want be alive, around and shining, come, right now, come and let him share his delight with you.”

 

 Dhandam again – ‘No holds barred one’ -  ஆழிகொண்டு உன்னை எறியும் ஐயுறவு இல்லை காண்

 

 “Phala Shruti”

 

 மைத்தடங் கண்ணி யசோதை தன்மகனுக்கு இவை

ஒத்தன சொல்லி உரைத்த மாற்றம் ஒளிபுத்தூர்

வித்தகன் விட்டுசித்தன் விரித்த தமிழ் இவை

எத்தனையும் சொல்ல வல்லவர்க்கு இடர் இல்லையே

 

 These lullaby’s that Yasodha, the collyrium-lined wide-eyed mother, sang to little Kannan are expanded in delightful Thamizh by the learned and smart Vishnu Chittan of Sri Villiputtur. Those who could memorize and recite all these shall have no distress in their lives.

 

I felt woefully inadequate in translating 'தாலேலோ'; ended up transliterating. The western lullaby’s do not seem to have that slumber-inducing தாலேலோ equivalent  nor an equivalent of Nilambari, the raga for lullaby’s - e.g.

 

Lullaby and goodnight, with roses bedight

With lilies o'er spread is baby's wee bed

Lay thee down now and rest, may thy slumber be blessed

Lay thee down now and rest, may thy slumber be blessed

 

 Lullaby and goodnight, thy mother's delight

Bright angels beside my darling abide

They will guard thee at rest, thou shalt wake on my breast

They will guard thee at rest, thou shalt wake on my breast

 

 Here is the YouTube link to this rendering – in case you wish to compare this with ‘Maanikkam Katti’!

 

 Truly blessed are those babies born to enjoy and sleep to 'தாலேலோ’!!!